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1. Field of Invention
This invention relates to articles of manufacture.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Wood posts are set is the ground to support wood fence. The posts can be set directly in the ground, or, the part of the post that is below ground may be embedded in concrete. The part of the post that is below ground level, whether embedded in concrete or not, often rots resulting in the supported wood fence falling over requiring that the post be replaced or repaired. Previous devices to repair wooden posts have been difficult to install, unsightly, expensive or inherently weak. Therefore a need exists for a device to easily, inexpensively and durably repair an existing deteriorated wooden post such that its structural function is restored.
Prior art consists of:
U.S. Pat. No. 887,217, Oliphant, is suitable only where the new footing is directly below the post. Also, although two straps are shown attached to each of two plates, the straps are attached to each plate at the same level. The concept of an upper and lower rod attached to a single plate where the rods work in tension-compression to develop moment was clearly not known.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,679,297, Ehrler, shows a plurality of rods but is for new construction or repair where the new footing is directly below the post. Also, the rods are each attached directly to the post instead of to a common plate. The concept of an upper and lower rod attached to a single plate where the rods work in tension-compression to develop moment was clearly not known.
U.S. Pat. No. 382,992, Lindley, for a fence post bracing and anchoring means. This invention incorporates inclined compression braces and tension rods attached to a buried anchor to react forces imposed by tension in a wire fence. The diagonal rods in this patent are horizontally disposed and, in themselves, provide negligible bending strength. The construction is unsuitable for repair of a wooden fence because it will resist force in only one direction.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,296,584, Lampa, for a bracket with a horizontal leg. The bracket must be thick, or have gussets or a torque box, any of which increase cost, to provide adequate strength and stiffness to resist lateral forces on the fence produced by high wind. Also, the horizontal leg covers much of the new hole that needs to be dug. This leg limits access and interferes with pouring the concrete.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,329,826, Flogaus et al., for a plate with the edge profiled and set in concrete. A plate configuration is not compatible for incorporation into the small diameter of a concrete post footing because the plate causes a weakened plane in the concrete substantially reducing its strength.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,543,757, Cosgrove, for 2 apposing angles that essentially surround the bottom of the post. This configuration impedes ventilation of the area at the bottom end of the post so deterioration of the bottom of the wooden post may still proceed at an excessive rate. Also, the concrete strength issue when a plate is used, as discussed in the previous paragraph, exists here.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,516,365, Chapman, for a device to re-anchor a post. The device incorporates features to wedge it tightly in place when it is driven into an existing aperture. This structure is large and since it requires access to most or all of the circumference of the post, is difficult to use in repairing a fence post which has boards on the back and stringers on the sides. Also, because of its configuration and large size, it would substantially degrade the aesthetic appearance of the wooden fence.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,598,512, Chapman, for a single device to re-anchor a post. This device has a plurality of corrugations and is designed to be driven into the aperture and clamped or screwed to the post. This structure is also large and since it also requires access to most or all of the circumference of the post, is not suitable to use in repairing a fence post which has boards on the back and stringers on the sides. Also, because of its configuration and large size, it would substantially degrade the aesthetic appearance of the wooden fence.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,646,489, Feller et al., for a hollow square plastic extension for a post. The claim is for triangular notches at the bottom of the plastic to allow concrete that has been poured into the hollow plastic extension to flow out at the bottom to firmly anchor it and the post. To use the aforementioned invention to repair an existing fence post, the existing concrete footing would need to be removed, a difficult task.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,636,482, Klager, for a repair anchor that is driven into the existing hole made by the rotted out post bottom in the concrete footing. This invention requires that the fence be temporarily moved laterally at the post to be repaired to provide access to the hole in the footing and that the post be trimmed on the side to accommodate the anchor. The necessity to trim the post makes this device difficult to install. Also, this device is of reduced suitability in cases where the existing concrete footing is unsound.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,577,713, Navarez, for a method using an anchor device incorporating a single stake (or rod or tube). The use of a single rod requires over four times as much rod material for the same strength as two properly positioned rods to resist the same overturning moment, resulting, for example, from wind on a fence. Thus, for the same strength, this device is more costly to manufacture.
To avoid the limitations and problems with present devices, this invention relates to an improved device which is used to repair a fence post.
The device incorporates a vertical mounting plate with at least one rod depending out and down from the plate near the top of the plate and at least one rod depending out and down from the plate near the bottom of the plate. By using optimum positioning of two rods attached to a single mounting plate, less than xc2xc of the amount of material is required for rods compared to a device with a single rod for the same performance. The reason for this is that two rods, properly positioned, work in xe2x80x98tension-compressionxe2x80x99 to resist an overturning moment of, for example, the wind on the supported fence, while a single rod can only work in bending. By proper positioning of a plurality of rods depending out and down from a common mounting plate, the rods work synergistically. The strength of the combination is much greater than the sum of the strengths of the individual rods. Thus the use of a plurality of rods depending out and down from a single mounting plate provides a substantial improvement over a single rod.
Objects of the present invention are to provide a device that
a) can be bolted or screwed to an existing post that has deteriorated below ground level,
b) can be anchored by means of a new concrete footing,
c) has a plurality of rods that depend at an angle out and down from the face of the plate so that they can work cooperatively in xe2x80x98tension-compressionxe2x80x99 for efficient strength,
d) can be very resistant to deterioration,
e) can be easily and conveniently installed,
f) uses a minimum of material and is inexpensive to manufacture,
g) does not limit access to the hole in the ground to receive the concrete mixture or interfere with the placement of the concrete mixture, and
h) does not substantially degrade the aesthetics of a wooden fence.
These and other objects of the invention are provided by a novel device. The invention is a device which includes a vertical plate with holes so that the plate can be bolted or screwed near the bottom end of a wooden post, and a plurality of rods that depend out and down from the face of the plate, said rods extend into a hole dug adjacent to the existing concrete footing. Wet concrete is poured into the hole around the rods. The concrete cures to anchor the device in place.
At installation, a hole of sufficient depth and diameter is dug in the soil adjacent to the existing post footing. The device is attached to the post near the ground by either bolts or lag screws, while the rods extend down into the newly dug hole. The post is aligned to the desired height and verticality and supported with appropriate temporary bracing. Concrete is then poured into the hole, surrounding the rods, until the hole is filled to approximately ground level.
After the concrete has set, the post will be supported firmly in place and the temporary bracing can be removed. The post can be cut away from ground level to a few inches above ground level to provide ventilation and impede further deterioration of the post.